Package comprising shrink label for personal care products

ABSTRACT

A package for a personal care composition comprising: (a) a bottle; (b) a cap, wherein the cap is attached to the bottle; and (c) a shrink label, wherein the shrink label covers at least a portion of the bottle and a portion of the cap, and wherein the shrink label covers a gap between the bottle and the cap. The package can prevent water from accumulating between the cap and bottle when the package is used in a wet environment, such as the shower or bath, which can lead to the formation of mold and/or mildew between the cap and bottle. The package also can dissuade consumers in a retail store from unscrewing or otherwise removing the cap from the bottle, which can lead to leakage of the personal care composition onto the store shelves.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.60,579,405, filed Jun. 14, 2004.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a package for personal carecompositions, such as shampoos, hair conditioners, shaving lotions, bodywashes, and in-shower body moisturizers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Packages that comprise personal care compositions, such as shampoos,hair conditioners, shaving lotions, body washes, and the like, oftencomprise a plastic bottle and cap. The caps usually screw or snap ontothe bottle to form the package. The caps are often flip-top dispensingcaps, such that the consumer can readily flip open the cap to expose thedispensing oriface from which the personal care composition isdispensed.

One problem with such packages is that there is usually a gap formedbetween the side wall(s) of the cap and the wall(s) of the bottle. Whenthe package is stored and/or used in a wet environment, such as in theshower, water can accumulate between the cap and bottle, leading to thegrowth of mold and/or mildew between the cap and bottle. This problem isespecially a concern with packages that are tottles or with packagesthat have been stored in an inverted position in a wet environment bythe consumer.

A second problem with these packages is that consumers in retail storeswill often unscrew or otherwise remove the caps from the bottles inorder to smell the fragrance of the composition or observe the color ofthe product. If the consumer does not properly screw or otherwisere-attach the cap to the bottle, the packages can end up leaking thepersonal care compositions onto the retail store shelves.

There has thus been a desire to produce a package that can prevent moldand/or mildew from forming between the cap and bottle of the package andthat can dissuade consumers from removing caps from bottles in the storeto prevent package leakage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a package for a personal carecomposition comprising: (a) a bottle; (b) a cap, wherein the cap isattached to the bottle; and (c) a shrink label, wherein the shrink labelcovers at least a portion of the bottle and a portion of the cap, andwherein the shrink label covers a gap between the bottle and the cap.The package is preferably used to contain a personal care composition,such as shampoo, hair conditioner, shaving lotion, body wash, in-showerbody moisturizer, or the like, and is typically stored in a wetenvironment, such as the shower or bathtub. In covering the gap betweenthe bottle and the cap, the shrink label can prevent water fromaccumulating in between the bottle and cap, which can lead to theformation of mold and/or mildew between the bottle and cap. Also, thepackage of the present invention can dissuade consumers in a retailstore from removing the cap from the bottle, which can lead to leakageof the composition onto retail store shelves if the consumer does notproperly re-attach the cap to the bottle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of one embodiment of the package of thepresent invention showing a shrink-sleeve label and a bottle with aflip-top dispensing cap attached to the bottle, before the shrink-sleevelabel is applied to the bottle and cap.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the embodiment of the package as shown in FIG.1 after the shrink-sleeve label has been applied to the bottle and cap.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the package of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As used herein, the term “tottle” means a package comprising a bottleand a cap attached to the bottle, wherein the package is designed torest on its cap. Many shampoos, hair conditioners, shaving lotions, bodywashes, in-shower body moisturizers, and other products used in theshower or bath are contained in tottles.

Package

The package of the present invention comprises (a) a bottle; (b) a cap,wherein the cap is attached to the bottle; and (c) a shrink label,wherein the shrink label covers at least a portion of the bottle and aportion of the cap, and wherein the shrink label covers a gap betweenthe bottle and the cap.

The bottle of the present package can be provided in a variety of formsor shapes. The bottle is typically made of a plastic material. Examplesof suitable plastic materials include high density polyethylene(“HDPE”), low density polyethylene (“LDPE”), polyethylene terephthalate(“PET”), polypropylene (“PP”), polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, nylon,and fluorinated ethylene propylene. The bottle can be made via a numberof various processes known in the art, such as blow molding, injectionmolding, and the like. Preferred bottles of the present invention aremade of HDPE or PP via an extrusion blow molding process, or PET via aninjection blow molding process.

The bottle will typically comprise an opening through which thecontained composition can be dispensed. The bottle will also typicallycomprise an attachment structure to which a cap can be attached, such asscrew-threads, snap-fit collar, or the like.

The cap of the present package can be provided in a variety of forms orshapes, such as a flip-top, tube-top, or disc-top dispensing cap. Thecap is typically made of a plastic material, including those materialsdiscussed above which are suitable for making the bottle of the presentinvention. Non-limiting examples of suitable dispensing caps aredisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,473 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,638,916.

The cap will typically comprise an opening through which the containedcomposition can be dispensed. The cap will also typically comprise anattachment structure adapted to attach the cap to the bottle of thepresent invention, such as a screw-thread receptacle, snap-fit collarreceptacle, or the like.

The cap is attached to the bottle by engaging the attachment structureof the bottle with the attachment structure of the cap. For example,when the bottle has screw-threads and the cap has a screw-threadreceptacle, the cap is screwed onto the bottle until tight. A gap willgenerally be formed between the side wall(s) of the cap and the wall(s)of the bottle. It can be important to have this gap between the bottleand the cap in order to allow enough manufacturing tolerances for boththe bottle and the cap to provide a tight fit between the attachmentstructures on the bottle and cap and to prevent leakage of thecomposition from the package. The size of the gap between the bottle andthe cap (measured as the shortest distance between the side wall(s) ofthe cap and the wall(s) of the bottle) will typically be from about 0.01to about 5 millimeters, preferably from about 0.1 to about 1 millimeter,and more preferably about 0.2 to about 0.6 millimeters.

The shrink label of the present package generally comprises a film labelprinted on an oriented plastic sheet or tube, which, when heat isapplied to the label, conforms to the contour of the container that itsurrounds. There are generally two types of shrink labels known in theart: (1) shrink-sleeve labels, and (2) roll-fed, wrap-around labels. Ashrink-sleeve label is a preferred shrink label of the presentinvention. A shrink-sleeve label is generally a tubular structuredefining a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction and made ofa heat shrinkable film and having an open top and an open bottom.

The shrink-sleeve label is generally sized such that the diameter of itstubular structure is great enough to slip over the bottle and cap towhich it is intended to be applied. The length of the tubular structureis long enough to cover at least a portion of the bottle and a portionof the cap after the shrink label is shrunk onto the bottle and cap.Once the shrink-sleeve label is slipped over the bottle and cap, heat isthen applied to shrink the shrink label to the bottle and cap.

The shrink label is typically made of an oriented film material. Anoriented film material is generally a film material having the greatestshrinkage in a defined direction, usually the transverse direction in ashrink-sleeve label and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction ofthe shrink-sleeve label. Non-limiting examples of suitable filmmaterials include polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene, otherpolyolefins and copolymers, polyesters, polystyrene, and combinationsthereof (e.g. a laminated film material). A preferred film material forthe shrink label of the present invention is polystyrene.

The thickness of the film material for the shrink label is generallyfrom about 30 to about 100 microns, preferably from about 40 to about 50microns. A preferred film material for the shrink label of the presentinvention has a thickness of 50 microns.

A preferred film material for the shrink label of the present inventionis available from American Fuji Seal, Inc. under the trade name FVK-350.

The film material for the shrink label can be pre-printed with graphics,text, etc. at any desired location on the film material. A variety ofprinting methods can be utilized to print graphics onto the shrinklabels, including gravure (or rotogravure) printing and flexographicprinting. A preferred printing method is gravure printing.

The film material can also be coated with protective layers, such asvarnishes, for scuff resistance or to control the coefficient offriction of the film material to facilitate the slipping of the shrinklabel onto the bottle and cap.

The shrink label can be perforated to facilitate applying the shrinklabel to uniquely shaped bottles. The shrink label can also beperforated to facilitate removal of the shrink label after the productis used up, to allow for proper recycling of materials. However, theshrink label of the present invention is preferably not perforated tofacilitate removal of the shrink label by a consumer before use of theproduct. For example, the shrink label is preferably not perforatedaround the entire perimeter of the shrink label and preferably notperforated across an entire surface parallel to the longitudinal axis ofthe shrink label.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the shrink label is made ofa continuous and/or non-perforated film and is non-removable (i.e. theshrink label is not intended to be removed by a consumer before use ofthe product). This embodiment is in contrast to packages that comprisetamper-evident shrink bands that are perforated and that are removed byconsumers before use.

In one embodiment of the present invention, especially wherein thepackage is a tottle, the shrink label does not extend over the top wallof the dispensing cap because the package will tend to be unstablesitting on the shelf due to gathering of the shrink label along the topwall of the dispensing cap during the process of applying the shrinklabel to the bottle and cap.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the shrink label is sealedto the side wall(s) of the cap. The shrink label can be sealed to theside wall(s) of the cap by adhesives (e.g. pressure sensitive adhesives)or by heat sealing.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the cap does not comprise avent or drain hole. Since the shrink label of the present invention canprevent water from accumulating between the bottle and the cap, it canbe unnecessary to incorporate a vent or drain hole in the cap.

The following is a description of the process for applying ashrink-sleeve label to a bottle and cap of the present invention. Asdiscussed above, most shrink labels are made of oriented plastic filmsthat shrink around a container when heat is applied. They can be made offlat film material that is stretched (oriented) and seamed, or fromtubular film material that is stretched in the blowing process. Thedegree to which a shrink label shrinks is determined when the filmmaterial is stretched. In effect, stretching the film material programs“memory” into the material. That memory is recalled by applying heatafter the shrink label is slipped onto the container and the filmmaterial shrinks. Shrink-sleeve labels can be supplied as individual,pre-cut sleeves or in continuous rolls which are then cut automaticallybefore being applied to the container.

In the process of applying a shrink-sleeve label to a bottle and cap,the shrink-sleeve label is placed loosely around the article. Theshrink-sleeve label is sized just large enough to allow it to be placedover the length of the article, either manually or by automatedhigh-speed application machinery. The film material of the shrink-sleevelabel shrinks as the article passes through a heat tunnel, where heat isapplied via, for example, hot air or steam or other similar method(e.g., radiant heat). In the heat tunnel, the film material softens,causing it to seek its original, smaller dimensions, and, in theprocess, to shrink tightly around the article. Different time andtemperature profiles are required for different shrink film materials,thicknesses, and bottle and cap shapes and materials. The heat tunnelsmay have several “zones” where heat (e.g., hot air or steam) is directedsequentially to different parts of the container at different times andtemperatures in order to effectively apply the shrink-sleeve label tothe bottle and cap.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a shrink-sleeve label 1 and a bottle 2with a flip-top dispensing cap 3 attached to the bottle 2. After the cap3 has been attached to the bottle 2, a gap 4 is formed between thebottle 2 and the cap 3. The shrink-sleeve label 1 is made ofpolystyrene, has a thickness of 50 microns, and has a generally tubularstructure. The width of the tubular structure of the shrink-sleeve label1 corresponds to the greatest width of the bottle 2. The length of thetubular structure is long enough such that it covers at least a portionof the bottle 2 and a portion of the cap 3 when applied to the bottle 2and cap 3. The shrink-sleeve label 1 is applied to the bottle 2 and cap3 by slipping the shrink-sleeve label 1 over the bottle 2 and cap 3,then passing the article through a steam heat tunnel.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the package of the present invention as shownin FIG. 1 after the shrink-sleeve label 1 has been applied to the bottle2 and cap 3. The shrink-sleeve label 1 covers the gap 4 between thebottle 2 and the cap 3. This package is a tottle, wherein the packagerests on the top wall 5 of the dispensing cap 3.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the package of FIG. 2showing a wall 6 of the bottle 2, a side wall 7 of the cap 3, and theshrink-sleeve label 1, wherein the shrink-sleeve label 1 covers the gap4 between the bottle 2 and the cap 3.

Personal Care Compositions

The packages of the present invention can be utilized to contain avariety of personal care compositions, such as shampoos, hairconditioners, shaving lotions, body washes, in-shower body moisturizers,and the like. Non-limiting examples of shampoos are described in USRE34,584, U.S. Pat. No. 5,932,203, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,561.Non-limiting examples of hair conditioners are described in U.S. Pat.No. 4,387,090 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,681. Non-limiting examples ofshaving lotions are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,495, U.S. Pat. No.5,451,396, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,682,726. Non-limiting examples of bodywashes are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,948, U.S. Pat. No.6,080,707, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,194,364. Non-limiting examples ofin-shower body moisturizers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,699,488,U.S. Pat. No. 6,645,511, U.S. 2003/0049282 A1, and U.S. 2003/0054019 A1.

All documents cited in the Detailed Description of the Invention are, inrelevant part, incorporated herein by reference; the citation of anydocument is not to be construed as an admission that it is prior artwith respect to the present invention.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have beenillustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in theart that various other changes and modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is thereforeintended to cover in the appended claims all such changes andmodifications that are within the scope of this invention.

1. A package for a personal care product, said package comprising: a bottle; a cap, wherein said cap is attached to said bottle; and a shrink label, wherein said shrink label covers at least a portion of said bottle and a portion of said cap, and wherein said shrink label covers a gap between said bottle and said cap.
 2. The package of claim 1, wherein said package is a tottle.
 3. The package of claim 1, wherein said shrink label is continuous or non-perforated.
 4. The package of claim 1, wherein said shrink label is a shrink-sleeve label.
 5. The package of claim 1, wherein said shrink label is a continuous shrink-sleeve label.
 6. The package of claim 1, wherein said gap between said bottle and said cap is from about 0.01 to about 5 millimeters.
 7. The package of claim 1, wherein said shrink label comprises an oriented film material.
 8. The package of claim 7, wherein said oriented film material is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene, other polyolefins and copolymers, polyesters, polystyrene, and combinations thereof.
 9. The package of claim 8, wherein said oriented film material is polystyrene.
 10. The package of claim 7, wherein said oriented film material has a thickness of from about 30 to about 100 microns.
 11. The package of claim 10, wherein said oriented film material has a thickness of from about 40 to about 50 microns.
 12. The package of claim 1, wherein said shrink label is non-removable.
 13. The package of claim 1, wherein said shrink label is sealed to said cap.
 14. The package of claim 1, wherein said cap does not comprise a vent or drain hole.
 15. The package of claim 1, wherein said package is stored and/or used in a wet environment.
 16. The package of claim 8, wherein said wet environment is a shower or bath.
 17. The package of claim 1, wherein said package contains a personal care composition.
 18. The package of claim 17, wherein said personal care composition is a body wash or in-shower body moisturizing composition.
 19. The package of claim 17, wherein said personal care composition is a shampoo or hair conditioner composition. 